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Research Publications and Reports

Women Veterans have achieved amazing successes in the military. They’ve become four star generals, commanded ships, earned medals of honor, and piloted space shuttles. They’ve served our country with courage, loyalty and pride. After they have taken off their uniforms, they continue to serve as leaders of non-profits, leaders in government, leaders in their community, and leaders in business. Today’s women Veterans are shaping the future. VA is committed to providing women Veterans the access to gender-specific care they have earned and deserve.

To examine these topics the VA Office of Women’s Health Services awarded a contract to Altarum Institute, a non-profit independent health research organization. Altarum conducted a nation-wide telephone survey of more than 8,400 women Veterans who currently use and do not use VA services. Results of this study will assist VA in understanding the challenges women Veteran’s encounter when accessing care and inform the future planning of services and programming so that women Veterans receive the highest quality health care.

Gender Differences in Performance Measures:VHA 2008-2011(2 MB, PDF)This report shows that between 2008 and 2011, VA improved gender disparities in almost all measures and exceeded both private and public sector care on most measures. These findings were corroborated in another report (3.3MB, PDF) from VA's Office of Information and Analytics, which was released at the same time.

Quality performance is one aspect of exemplary care for women Veterans. Reducing—and ultimately eliminating—the gender gaps enhances the experience for women Veterans and ties directly back to our goal of patient-centered, comprehensive care for women.

The first in a series, this publication describes women Veterans receiving VHA care in Fiscal Year 2009 overall and within key subgroups (by age and by service-connected disability status). Future volumes will focus on race and ethnicity, diagnoses, and the use of fee basis care.

The Sourcebook is one result of ongoing VHA efforts aimed at understanding the effects of military service on women’s lives.

Research is a key component in VA's initiative to improve services for women Veterans. VA has just released a report which examines the demographic profile of female VA patients—who they are, how old they are, where they live and how they use VA. The report, Sourcebook: Women Veterans in the Veterans Health Administration–Volume 2, presents data that will inform policy and planning as VA looks at new ways of providing care to women Veterans. Read more headlines about women Veterans and Women Veterans Health Care.

Over the past two decades, VHA has rolled out numerous initiatives designed to improve access and quality of care for women Veterans. Along with clinical advances, VHA women’s health research has accelerated,providing an evidence base that further sharpens the focus on women Veterans. Sourcebook Volume 3 is a product of collaboration across VHA. Its primary purpose is to present data to inform policy and program planning as VHA implements and evaluates new ways of providing care to women Veterans. Sourcebook Volume 3—like Volumes 1and 2—describes sociodemographic characteristics and health care utilization patterns of women Veteran patients in VHA, updated Fiscal Year 2012 data, as well as new data on costs of care and the medical condition profile of women Veterans in VHA. Online Appendix

Reproductive health (RH) is a critical part of health. For women, RH encompasses gynecological health throughout life, preconception care, maternity care, cancer care, and the interaction of RH with other mental and medical conditions. Reproductive Health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-be­ing and not merely the absence of reproductive disease or infirmity. This definition highlights the importance of taking a health systems approach that integrates RH care issues and services with other aspects of care needed across the life course. The RH needs of women are shaped by their stages of life and life experiences. For women Veterans, their military experiences may influence their RH in important ways. Given the increasing numbers of women in the military and women Veterans, it is critical to understand key aspects of RH in this unique population of women. This first report of the State of Reproductive Health in Women Veterans provides an overview of the RH diagnoses of women Veterans utilizing the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care services, VA delivery of RH care, and a vision for RH in VA.

State of Cardiovascular Health Vol.1(2.2 MB, PDF)The largest cohort of women Veterans is now made up of those aged 45-64, and these women will require cardiovascular care as they continue to age. In addition, the new influx of younger women Veterans necessitates a focus on prevention, including prevention of cardiovascular disease risk factors and conditions. This report is the first in a planned series of reports, this first volume of the State of Cardiovascular Health in Women Veterans evaluates cardiovascular disease risk factors, conditions and procedures occurring in VHA outpatient care in women and men Veterans in 2010.

Women Veterans Health Care puts out regular outreach campaigns, each with a women’s health focus, for Women Veterans Program Managers, Public Affairs Officers, and others in the field that work with women Veterans.